1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photosensitive material processing method in which a sheet-formed photosensitive material, which has been cut to predetermined sizes, is successively conveyed to an exposure stage and processed, and to a photosensitive material processing apparatus in which a plurality of sheet-formed photosensitive materials, which have been cut to predetermined sizes, is disposed in a row and conveyed to an exposure stage and processed.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a case in which a photosensitive material is processed, quick processing thereof is demanded. In order to achieve this, both increasing of the conveying speed of a photosensitive material and decreasing of the exposure time thereof are demanded. With regard to the increasing of the conveying speed of the photosensitive material, it suffices if the conveying path of the photosensitive material is provided. Further, with regard to the decreasing of the exposure time of the photosensitive material, it suffices if an exposure stage is provided at every additional conveying path.
In order to achieve this, an applicant proposes a photosensitive material processing apparatus in which a magazine is provided at every plurality of rows of conveying paths, such that a plurality of rows of photosensitive materials provided from the magazines can be simultaneously processed, and a wide photosensitive material can be processed over the plurality of rows of conveying paths (as an example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-314022).
In the proposed photosensitive material processing apparatus, normally, the plurality of rows of photosensitive materials can be processed and the wide photosensitive material can be processed on the same stage.
However, when the plurality of rows of photosensitive materials is processed simultaneously, the photosensitive materials accommodated within the plurality of magazines become simultaneously empty. Accordingly, the process must be interrupted for the replacement of the magazines. The degrees of exhaustion of the photosensitive materials within the plurality of magazines are not invariably be the same due to the difference in size of the photosensitive materials. However, it is not clear when the photosensitive material becomes empty. Thus, an operator must invariably wait and monitor the process.
Further, as related art, the following prior arts are disclosed.
1 Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 58-29464
A technology in which a photosensitive material, which has been exposed and cut, is divided into a plurality of rows. Until the photosensitive material is exposed and accommodated, as in a conventional method, one-row processing of the photosensitive material is still effected.
2 Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 57-78052
A technology in which in a printing apparatus of a single exposure system, a plurality of magazines is provided at the apparatus main body and the magazines can be replaced as occasion demands. It is necessary that photosensitive materials be sorted quickly.
3 Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 60-107841
A technology in which a photosensitive material is selectively withdrawn from a plurality of magazines so as to be cut and supplied to an exposure section. Since the photosensitive materials are not conveyed in parallel, it is not an efficient technology.
4 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-347905 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-347907
A technology in which an exposure stage exists in each of the plurality of rows of conveying paths and exposed photosensitive materials are processed individually. In all of the processing systems, the number of exposure stages in accordance with the number of conveying paths is needed. Consequently, the size of an apparatus is increased.
5 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-347914
A technology in which a magazine is moved so as to correspond to a plurality of conveying paths and then photographic printing papers are sorted. Regarding the mass of the magazine, the size of a power source for rapid movement must be increased.
In this way, the above-described prior arts have both advantages and disadvantages. For example, there are drawbacks in that one-row processing is still effected, rapid sorting is needed, a plurality of exposure systems is required, and in a case in which a magazine is moved, the size of a power source for rapid movement is increased. Also, a lot of time is wasted.